The
ACLU took to social media on Wednesday to refute Sen. Marco Rubio's (R-Fla.)
assertion that the rights group's opposition to his anti-boycott legislation is
"baseless," and offer him some guidance on understanding the First
Amendment.

The
bill, S.1, advanced on Tuesday with the help
of 25 Democrats, and includes the Combating BDS Act of 2019, which allows state
or local governments to punish entities using boycotts, divestments, or
sanctions to protest the Israeli government's policies.

While
Rubio and others have continued to support the bill, the ACLU argues the
anti-BDS measure "violates the core principle" at the heart of the
Constitution's free speech protections. "The government cannot," the
group notes, "dictate to its citizens which causes they can and can't support."

The
Combating BDS Act encourages states to pass unconstitutional laws punishing
businesses AND individuals who participate in politically motivated boycotts
against Israel. These laws have already violated the First Amendment rights of
teachers, newspapers, and even students.

Other
advocacy groups have spoken out against S.1 as well, including Jewish Voice for Peace. Sen. Bernie Sanders
(I-Vt.), meanwhile, is among the lawmakers who've opposed the measure. In a
tweet this week, Sanders said, "we must defend every American's
constitutional right to peacefully engage in political activity. It is clear to
me that S.1 would violate Americans' First Amendment rights."

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"The master class
has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles.
The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject
class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives."
Eugene Victor Debs